The United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) has rescinded its support for a significant proposed development near Limoges.
On April 25, UCPR council voted to reverse the decision it had made on March 29 to support Brigil’s proposed project which would include 10, four-story apartment buildings, 72 stacked townhouses, and buildings of 10, 12, 18, 20, and 24 stories with a 15-story hotel. The site is located in the northeast corner of the Highway 417 and Limoges Road interchange.
Under the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) Official Plan for land use, the site is currently designated a Trade and Industry Policy Area outside the established Limoges urban boundary. As a result, the land is not compliant with the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) on land use planning to permit residential development, nor does the proposed development conform with the UCPR Official Plan.
However, The Nation council adopted a resolution on February 26, 2024, opposing comments sent from the UCPR Department of Planning and Forestry to The Nation Director of Planning explaining the UCPR could not support the zoning amendment because of its non-compliance with the Official Plan. At the February 28 UCPR council meeting, The Nation Mayor Francis Brière introduced a notice of motion to seek the regional council’s support for the zoning amendment and project at the March 27 meeting, which was adopted. The motion of support also included a commitment that the UCPR would not appeal any future decision by The Nation council to change the zoning to accommodate the development.
However, on April 25, a motion was introduced by Clarence-Rockland Mayor Mario Zanth and seconded by Champlain Township Mayor Normand Riopel that the UCPR’s support be rescinded. The motion called the previous motion of support premature because The Nation council has not yet adopted a zoning amendment for the property, the UCPR Department of Planning and Forestry has raised concerns about the project, and that the Planning and Forestry Department should retain the right to appeal a lower tier zoning decision if it is justifiably in the interest of the UCPR and the other lower-tier municipalities.
When the motion to rescind support was introduced, Brière initially asked for the UCPR to give The Nation more time to gather information before support was withdrawn.
“We’re doing our due diligence, and we have a legal analysis going on right now and would like more time so we can present findings before the council makes a decision,” he said.
“We’re not making any moves until we have our due diligence covered,” Brière added.
Chief Administrative Officer Stéphane Parisien explained the issue is largely due to the development and property currently not conforming with the Official Plan.
The motion was adopted, with Brière voting in favour of it.
Riopel emphasized that support was being withdrawn simply due to the concerns about the proposal.
In a short interview following the meeting, Brière acknowledged there are concerns but was hoping The Nation could have been given more time to do the required research. He said The Nation did not intend to do anything malicious and wanted to act in good faith by holding off on any zoning amendment for the property.
Brière said The Nation will be reevaluating how it plans to pursue approval of the proposed Brigil development.
In a separate interview, Zanth explained that even though UCPR council officially rescinded its support for the Brigil project, it does not mean the mayors are opposed to it. He said the decision was made because more research is required into the proposal before any official endorsement may be made.
